This application claims the priority of German application 198 41 088.3 filed in Germany on Sep. 9, 1998, and German application 199 07 162.4 filed in Germany on Feb. 19, 1999, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a ring spindle comprising a vertically arranged bearing housing having a closed bottom, and a step bearing arranged in an oil-bath of the bearing housing for a rotating shaft.
In the case of such ring spindles it has been shown that the oil itself remains clear and free of impurities even after many years of use. Re-lubrication is only then necessary because too much oil has leaked out of the bearing housing. In the usual re-lubrication process, the shaft is removed from the bearing housing, so that oil can be filled into the bearing housing by means of an injection pistol. This is described, for example, in the Suessen-Novibra Technical Information leaflet S06/6411 D. There is always the risk that in the spinning mill, fly and trash can get into the bearing housing. In addition, it is not ensured that the shaft is re-inserted into the same bearing housing again.
It is an object of the present invention to produce a ring spindle whereby oil can be refilled without the shaft being removed from the bearing housing.
This object has been achieved in accordance with the present invention in that two lubricating channels having narrow cross sections are applied in the bearing housing above the desired oil level of the oil-bath.
Oil can be re-filled by means of one of these lubricating channels, without the shaft having to be removed from the bearing housing, whereby the lubricating process can, if required, take place even when the ring spindle is operating. As it is not known exactly how much oil should be re-filled, as the oil level differs from ring spindle to ring spindle after a certain amount of time, at least so much oil is re-filled until again runs out of the other lubricating channel. This ensures that a definite amount of oil is present in the bearing housing.
In a further step, a definite amount of oil is sucked out of the bearing housing, namely just enough so that the desired oil level is reached.
The bearing housing comprises advantageously a tube which comprises the bottom, and also a bearing head inserted by means of a press fit into the tube and taking up a neck bearing, which bearing head is provided in the area of the press fit with longitudinal grooves belonging to the lubricating channels. The lower ends of the longitudinal grooves are disposed for the purpose at the desired oil level, while radial through holes of the tube are advantageously arranged at the upper end of the longitudinal grooves. These countersunk through holes can be filled out with plastic inserts, which are provided with very narrow radial oil bore holes. This prevents trash and fly from penetrating into the lubricating channels and thus from penetrating into the bearing housing.
As far as it is required in further embodiments of the present invention not only to refill oil but further to wash old oil out, it can be provided that beneath the bearing head, directly adjacent thereto, an intermediary tube, preferably made of plastic, is inserted into the tube of the bearing housing, which intermediary tube is provided with a longitudinal channel extending one of the longitudinal grooves, which longitudinal channel extends to the area of the step bearing.